Information and entertainment systems incorporated into vehicles are well known in the art. Information systems include components that provide information about the operating condition of the vehicle. Common examples of information systems include dashboards in motorized ground vehicles, instrument panels in aircraft, and various gauges and instruments in boats and other sea craft. In many embodiments, the information system provides information from various sensors and gauges, including, but not limited to, speed, tachometer readings, fuel levels, engine temperature readings, oil pressure readings, electrical system voltage levels, and the like. More recently developed information devices include in-vehicle navigation systems that use the global positioning system (GPS) to provide a vehicle operator with navigational aids, and cameras that display video of areas around the vehicle that are otherwise obscured from the view of the operator.
In addition to information systems, many vehicles also include entertainment systems. Common examples of in-vehicle entertainment systems include radios, cassette and compact disc (CD) players, digital music players, and video playback devices. The entertainment systems may have various operating modes, with some devices like radios and audio devices being operational when the vehicle is in operation, while video playback devices may operate only when the vehicle is not in operation to prevent distracting the operator.
An “infotainment system” refers to a category of information system that combines both information and entertainment systems in a vehicle. An infotainment system may include various discrete components that are installed in a vehicle, but are otherwise disconnected from one another, such as a speedometer and a radio in a conventional automobile. More recently, advances in computing and display technology have enabled so-called “glass cockpit” systems that may display a combined view of data from multiple sources on an electronic display device. The term “glass cockpit” originated in the field of aviation, but similar devices have spread to many vehicles including ground and water vehicles. Integrated infotainment systems may provide at least some vehicle information and entertainment information using a common user interface. Examples include dashboard display panels that display a digital map for navigation in one mode, while displaying music information in another mode. Audio devices including speakers in a vehicle may play music and audible alerts to the operator from various information systems.
Infotainment systems may send and receive data using various digital networks including the Internet using one or more wireless network connection technologies including the IEEE 802.11 family of protocols and various wide-area networks using 3G and 4G technologies. The network connectivity enables communication between the vehicle and various computing systems on the Internet in general, and with the World Wide Web (WWW) in particular. Additionally, these systems may communicate directly with an electronic device placed in the vehicle using a wired communication port or a wireless communication channel.
Known vehicular information and infotainment systems have many features, but also present many design and user interface challenges. Many variations in hardware and software components exist between different types of vehicles, and even between different models of a single vehicle such as different option packages for a single car model. Consequently, information systems for different vehicles vary widely, with little standardization or compatibility between systems. Additionally, different information systems present information in widely different formats that increase the time needed for a vehicle operator to become accustomed to the information system.
What is needed is an information system that provides information and entertainment to operators of a plurality of vehicles having different components and operating configurations. What is further needed is an information system that provides a common user interface to a vehicle operator in different vehicles.